Influence of cadmium and zinc on the viability of Echinococcus granulosus in Vitro

Fifty-two viable E. granulosus hydatid cysts were obtained from the livers of eleven cattle in Al-Qadisiyah province slaughterhouses between April and August 2024; then protoscoleces were dropped and treated with three different concentrations of cadmium and zinc (100 µg 1-1, 1000 µg 1-1, and 10,000 µg 1-1 metal ions) and a mixture of cadmium and zinc at a concentration of 10000 µg 1-1 and in vitro. This study found that these metals effectively kill protoscoleces, and Protoscoleces' activity reduced with increasing concentration and length of exposure compared to the control group. The results also revealed that the combination of cadmium and zinc had the largest effect on protoscolces viability than Albendazole, so cadmium and zinc; this could be attributed to the combined toxic effect of the two heavy metals.